available. J. Henzler
USER LEVEL: Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4
KLA:
AC; English
SYLLABUS:
English K–10
SCIS1685074 $28.00
Deception
JONSBERG, Barry
Allen & Unwin, NSW, 2014 (Pandora
Jones)
ISBN 9781743318126
Pandora, in this sequel
to Admission, finds
herself allied with
Jen, in their quest to
discover what lies
beyond The School
and its confines. This is
an intriguing narrative,
with plot twists and
turns as the characters
attempt to separate
truth from deception; dreams from reality
and discover the real story behind the
mysterious virus. It is a novel in which
Pandora in her single-mindedness has
to discover trust in her own abilities
and in other people. The two strong
female protagonists use their mental and
physical skills to question their dystopian
world. The ending has scope for a
thrilling conclusion. Readers who enjoy
to draw focus to the most intriguing
aspect of the tale. Jemima’s Jelly door,
for example, is an aptly deep pink –
the same colour that stains her dog’s
nose after he has licked through it.
Jeffers provides only the raw details
and allows the reader’s imagination to
shape a story around the questions that
remain. This sense of possibility – that
none of the narratives has ever really
ended – is what begs the rereading.
These are neat and often ironic
tales about characters whose quirks
range from disastrous to completely
benign. Some, like Burning a bridge
and Half a house contain humorous
moral messages, while others, such
as Victor the vanquished and The
whiraffe, are surprisingly unsettling
or whimsical. It is this variety of tone
that provides texture and energy, and
it is the interplay between stories that
brings the text as a whole to life. The
characters, seemingly separated by
chapter titles, exist in the same world
and sometimes recur in each other’s
stories to lend meaning and reprise
punchlines. Even once the book has
ended, the inside back cover suggests
further relationships and possible
continuations of plots. Some amusing
intertextuality (see Onward) will
particularly delight younger readers
familiar with Jeffers’ previous work and
serves as a simplistic introduction to
the concept. A curriculum springboard is
discussion and explanation. Themes of
family, deception, trust and friendship
can be found in this adventure. Readers
who enjoyed Thirteen, and those who
like their books with a fast pace (and
a suspension of belief), could find this
second instalment satisfying. From the
ending there is a possibility of a third
book. B. Hull
USER LEVEL: Stage 4
SCIS 1687621 Paper $14.99
Once upon an alphabet
JEFFERS, Oliver
HarperCollins Children’s Books, UK, 2014
ISBN 9780007514274
As the prologue
to Once upon an
alphabet suggests,
this is indeed a
menagerie; a set
of twenty-six very
short stories, each
with a charm of its
own, but all bound
together by some
clever sequencing and, of course, their
location in the alphabet. The appeal
of Jeffers’ storytelling is its simplicity
and elegance; a quality harmoniously
matched by his bold but not-quite-
naïve illustrations. A minimal colour
scheme assigned to each letter is used
creative thinking, ethical understanding
and literacy. J. Duvall
USER LEVEL: Stage 5
KLA:
AC; English
SYLLABUS:
English K–10
SCIS 1684618 Paper $19.95
Spiders
HOYLE, Tom
Macmillan Children’s Books, UK, 2014
ISBN 9781447250463
The sequel to Hoyle’s
Thirteen sees Adam,
once again, facing
a cult that has
kidnapped 12 other
children, the best
and brightest of their
generation, and has
earmarked Adam as
the leader. The action
is the prime force
of this story. The characters are one
dimensional with Abbie appearing more
proactive and with more leadership
potential than Adam. The cult is a
suicide cult, drugging the children
until their departure with other cult
members to the Golden Planet. This
serious concept may need teacher
2015 Volume 34, Issue 3 83
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